Hand stamp



y 1950 M. MANN 2,513,419

HAND STAMP Filed 001;. 14, 1 948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IVLM VIM/N M ea W WATTOR N EY July 4, 1950 M. MANN 2,513,419

HAND STAMP Filed Oct. 14, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOR N EY Patented July4, 195d UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 14, 1948, SerialNo. 54,487

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to an improved stamp generally applicablefor hand printing and is a continuation in part of my copendingapplication Serial No. 738,573, filed April 1, 1947. In particular, thestamp has several novel features enabling rapid and accurate printingwith variable pressures on stationary or movable surfaces in a pluralityof colors.

Outstanding among the improved features of construction of the stamp isan arcuate printing die element mounted in or comprising the arcuatesurface of a segment of a cylinder, pivotally supported through thecylindricalaxis in a housing of modified contour to be comfortablygrasped by hand for easy printing by a rolling horizontal motion of thearcuate surface against the surface to be printed. The arcuatecylindrical segment is biased by a torsion spring about the rotary axisthereof and constrained between stops in the housing or as thehousingwall is designed to act as stops for both ends of the arc ofmovement, whereby the printing die is automatically aligned forprinting, the printing is quickly effected by the short horizontalmovement through the length of the arc and the arcuate printing elementis quickly reset for the next printing as governed by the stop positionsat a rate controllable by tension of the spring.

As a further feature of the present invention, inking pads of the rollertype are mounted in opposite ends of the housing tangentially to the arcof movement of the arcuate printing element and supported and biased bysprings into rolling contact therewith whereby a portion of the arcuateprinting element is inked by rolling contact with one of the inking padsduring one portion of its arcuate movement during printing and anotherportion is inked by such'contact with the oppositely mounted pad duringthe later portion of the arcuate position of the printing element. Thus,during the printing operation of arcuate swing of the printing elementand return between stops, part of the inking is effected by one inkingroller and part by the other, resulting in an oscillating double inkingof forward and'return movement of the printing element in contact witheach of the rolling pads during different portions of the are. Thisresults in a very effective and rapid inking. Moreover, since each padinks only a portion of the roller, by applying different colored inks tothe pads, part of the arcuate printing element may be caused to print inone color and part in another corresponding to the color applied to theparticular section thereof. As will be shown in detail hereinafter, a

'single roller pad may be constructed in indeposed in slots in oppositeportions of the hous-. ing enabling ready removal .of the pads for. re-

pendent inking sections with two or more pads with different coloredinks mounted on a single roller whereby very small sections of thearcuate element may be independently and distinctively. By constructionherein whereby the colored. stops are made adjustable, the rollingdistribution of contact surface of the arcuate printing element betweenthe several colored inking pads in rolling contact therewith may becontrolledto; apply distinctive color accurately to any desired;

section of the stamp surface.

Further desirable features of the present con struction are in the hairpin type springs .on which the inking rollers are mounted anddisplacement or inking and easy adjustment of the spring tension foreven pressure against the printing element and for accommodation ofprinting dies or lettering of large or small height extending forprinting from the arcuate printing element surface.

Other desirable features are inherent in this construction and furtherdescription is made by reference to the drawing.

Fig. 1 shows the stamp in normal printing: position by horizontalmovement in the direction of the arrow and has one side wall removedwith some parts in section to show construction.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the stamp showing the housing. g I

Fig. 3 is an end view of the stamp.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view. Fig. 5 is a side view of the stamp with partsin Fig. 8 is detail showing one of the roller ink ing pads and a hairpin spring in position ready;

for assembly.

As shown in the drawings, the printing element comprises .a segment of acylinder l havingits arcuate portion bounded by raised, preferablyroughened, serrated or knurled edges 2 formingfirmly gripping runnersdefining a depressed area.

therebetween to which is permanently or. removably fastened a printingelement 3 compris ing. individually fastened printing dies, letters.

characters, type or other ink transferring indicia or an arcuate platebearing such integrally or removably.

The cylindrical segment I is pivotally mounted for oscillation on anaxle 4 corresponding to the cylindrical axis thereof and supportedthereby between depending vertical side walls of a shell housing 5having flaring bell-shaped ends and blunt top adapted to be grasped inthe palm of the hand for hand operation of the printing device. The axle4 is journaled in and protrudes through the side walls. of theshell 5pivotally supporting the cylindrical segment I at a posi-.v

tion below the top, such that the oscillating segment will strike a stop6 in either direction of arcuate movement.

Mounted in opposite ends of the cylindrical segment I as by boring andthreading therein are several studs 7 fixed in any extended position ofadjustment by nuts 8, the studs 1 being adapted by cooperation with stop6 to. fix and adjust the extent of the free are through which :thecylindrical segment "I may oscillate.

Th s the cylindrical segment may oscillate in an are fixed by the stop 6and adjustable studs 7-. The axle' l; is threaded at both ends 8 toreceive caps 9 and washers It bearing against the side walls offthehousing 5. A torsion spring I l is mounted about the axle with oneend[2' bearing against the cylindrical segment I under torsion and the otherend l3 held in a slot l l'ofythe axle i. A pin l 5 also fits in theaxle slot M with both ends It bent to lit in tiny holes in the side wall5. The tension of spring H may be adjusted by winding about the axle 4with a greater or lesser number of turns as desired and thereby increaseor de crease the rate of recoil or return oscillation of the printingsegment in operation, the tension thereof being held by pinning with pinHiheld in the assembly as described.

As shown, the lower end of the arcuate segment l 'protrudes from thehousing 5 for contact of the object to be printed.

In eachside walloi the housing 5' alignedslots I! are cut to support twohair pin springs [8,; one leg 19. ofeach serving as arotary support of;two inking pads 20 in eachof the bell-shaped ends of the housing. Theposition o f-the rotary pads 28'- resilient supporting bias to'the padroll against the printing element enabling the pad to rotate' firmly butresiliently therewith imparting ink thereto as theprintingelement-passes by in its arcuate swing.

tension and may also be recharged-with ink when they are removed.

The pad 2!) may be composed of several pads As shown, the inking padsare easily removablefor cleaning replacement andadjustment in 4 ablesurface to be printed and moved horizontally in the direction of thearrow.

The roughened edges or runners 2 of the printing element grip thesurface to be printed and limit the pressure applicable to the printingelement and serve as a guide so that whatever pressure is exerted ismodified thereby and the print is even. During movement of the arcuateprinting, element, the inking- .roll in contact rotates therewith inboth directions of motion to impart to the printing element'an evencoating of ink.

After passing through half of the printing arc,

the forward end of the printing element contacts the second inking rolland the forward half of the printing element is inked inrolling contacttherewith both on the printing and return arcuate motion.

In the, forward sweep of the segment of the cylindrical printingelement, the forward end thereof meets the top of' the housing whichacts as a stop to terminatethe upward arcuate swin and upon release bylifting the stamp from the printed surface, the printing element isreturned by the bias of spring 8 to the starting position, held firmlythereby against the top acting also as a stop to fix the startingposition of the printing element. To cushion the shock, and muiiie thesound of the stopping-motion 'ateach end of the arc of the printingelement, a lining of hard rubber may be, fastened to theunderside'of'the top of the shell, but. other; types of stoppingelements may be mounted in'the'shell to-define' the arc terminalpositions as desired; the essential feature being that the oscillatingprinting arc for both starting and stopping positions is'fixed:

The studs T are, accurately set to regulatenot' only the complete arcof, swing for printing" by the cylindrical segment, but also to regulatewhich portion of the printing element is to re- 2 I, 22 etc mounted on asingle supporting roller cone 23; Each of these pads 2i= and 22" areshown somewhat exaggeratedly separated at 24" so that ink will not seepfrom one pad to thenext. but this space 2 maybe filled-by washersorother spacing elements to prevent such ink passage. adapted toindependently carry diiierent'colore inks. 1

The printing element maybe of rubber-or other known stamp "material.-Similarly. the inkingpads are of felt or other known inking padma- 1terials,

in operation the-stamp'is grasped in the palm-- of the hand placedagainst the stationar-ywr -moveceive inkby the corresponding pad.

Thus by having the studs onfone side of" the cylindrical segment-more orless extended than the opposite side a greater or lesser-area oftheprinting su facewill be'inked by one'or theotherinking rollers. Thus3thesurface to be inked by any particular pad is regulatedby" the adjustmentof studsl'z If one, of the; inkingpad eljements has, a diiferentcolored'ink than'the others; then the arcuate surface; theprinting element iscontrollably colored'or a "selected area as ad justed by these studs '1:

Thestraight side walls 'of .the shell" andthe roughened runner elementsact-as guides:for the" oscillatin printing element andthereby correctand stabilize the rotation thereof and aid in forming a true linearimprint in the direction: of motion of thelstamp...

Certain modifications within principles; out lined herein. willfoccur tothose skilledjin the an" and it is intended that thisspecificationbeimterpreted as. broadl as, defined in .the claims.

-I claim:

1. A hand'stamp having'a segmentof a:cylin der withprinting elementsv onthe arcuatesur With this construction, the pads are.

face thereof mounted to, oscillate in'axhousing about, a, pivot in thecylindrical "axis thereof ':by" arcuate movement about; said pivotacross a surface to receive print, said housing supporting said; pivot.having an open side and shaped "to" partially enclose said segment of'acylinder "with" thev outer arcuateportion protruding therefrom forprinting, the-oppositeinner portion-ofsaid housing providing anabutmentsnbtend-ing the are of -oscillation--ofi said.- segment again'stwhich each-end-of the a segment bears at each limit of its arc ofoscillation, means for resiliently biasing one end of the segment of thecylinder against said abutment, a pair of inking rollers resilientlybiased into frictionally rolling ink imparting contact with the arcuateprinting surface, each inking roller being rotatably mounted in thelower portion of said housing and at opposite portions thereintangential to the arc of oscillation of said printing element inpositions fixed with respect to said abutment limiting the arc ofoscillation and sufficiently distant from each other such that oneportion of said arcuate printing surface has ink imparted theretosubstantially independently by one roller and another portion has inksubstantially independently imparted thereto by the other roller,whereby substantially separate portions of said arcuate printing surfaceare inked by each roller.

2. A hand stamp having printing elements disposed on an arcuatesupporting surface as a printing unit, said printing unit being mountedfor oscillation on a pivot through the arcuate axis thereof to print byarcuate movement across a surface adapted to receive print, a stationaryinverted shell housing adapted to be held manually supporting saidpivoted arcuate printing element with the printing element extendingtherefrom, said housing having a closed inner portion shaped tointercept the arc of oscillation of said printing unit at each endproviding a stop, means resiliently biasing said printing unit againstthe stop in one direction, means mounted in each end of said arcuatesupporting surface adjusting the distance of arcuate movement thereofbetween stops, a pair of inking rollers resiliently biased intofrictionally rolling ink imparting contact with the arcuate printingsurface, each inking roller being rotatably mounted in the lower portionof said housing and at opposite portions therein tangential to the arcof oscillation of said printing element in positions fixed with respectto said stop limiting the arc of oscillation and sufficiently distantfrom each other such that one portion of said arcuate printing surfacehas ink imparted thereto substantially independently by one roller andanother portion has ink substantially independently imparted thereto bythe other roller, whereby substantially separate portions of saidarcuate printing surface are inked by each roller.

3. A hand stamp having a bell shaped housing with the upper portionrounded to be manually grasped in the hand for operation, and havingsides flaring outwardly with an open bottom, a printing elementcomprising an arcuate segment of a cylinder with printing indiciamounted on the arcuate surface thereof, a pivot supporting said arcuateprinting element through the cylindrical axis thereof for oscillationwith the arcuate printing surface extending from said housing forprinting by arcuate movement across a surface for receiving print, astop depending inwardly from the top of said housing subtending the arcof oscillation of said arcuate printing element about said pivot, meansresiliently biasing said printing element against said stop in onedirection of arcuate movement thereof, a pair of inking rollersresiliently biased into frictional ink imparting contact with thearcuate printing surface, each inking roller being rotatably mounted inthe lower flaring portion of the bell shaped housing and at oppositeportions therein tangential to the arc of oscillation of said printingelement in positions fixed with respect to said stop limiting the arc ofoscillation and sumciently distant from each other such that one portionof said arcuate printing surface has ink imparted thereto substantiallyindependently by one roller and another portion has ink substantiallyindependently imparted thereto by the other roller, wherebysubstantially separate portions of said arcuate printing surface areinked by each roller.

4. A hand stamp having printing elements disposed on an arcuatesupporting surface as a printing unit, said printing unit being mountedfor oscillation on a pivot through the arcuate axis thereof to print byarcuate movement across a surface adapted to receive print, a stationaryinverted shell housing adapted to be held manually supporting saidpivoted arcuate printing element with the printing element extendingtherefrom, said housing having a closed inner portion shaped tointercept the arc of oscillation of said printing unit at each endproviding a stop, means resiliently biasing said printing unit againstthe stop in one direction, means mounted in each end of said arcuatesupporting surface adjusting the distance of arcuate movement thereofbetween stops, a pair of inking rollers resiliently biased intofrictionally rolling ink imparting contact with the arcuate printingsurface, each inking roller being rotatably mounted in the lower portionof said housing and at opposite portions therein tangential to the arcof oscillation of said printing element in positions fixed with respectto said stop limiting the arc of oscillation and sufficiently distantfrom each other such that one portion of said arcuate printing surfacehas ink imparted thereto substantially independently by one roller andanother portion has ink substantially independently imparted thereto bythe other roller, whereby substantially separate portions of saidarcuate printing surface are inked by each roller, at least one of saidrollers being axially divided into sections for independent applicationof contrastingly colored inks.

MAX MANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

